July 24, 2016

By now, my plan was to have finished mastering day 1 type cases...

Unfortunately, things haven't gone according to plan and I still don't know EVERYTHING there is to know about the day 1 cases..

Fortunately,... I know like 80% of everything there is to know lol. So that's pretty good!

The only thing I feel as though I'm missing right now are my quantitative analysis skills.

The ability to create a mock case

and the ability to write a mock case...

So for quant skills.

So yesterday (16 minutes ago) I broke my study record, and basically the average study time for a CFE gold medalist (i.e. 8 hours - I've read that they commonly study from 9 am - 5 pm)

Now, I want to go beyond that. Assuming I can even do that... I think the keys to going beyond those levels are having one crap day and other good days... by that I mean. Have a day where you accumulate groceries (so your food situation gets handled)... Recognizing your awake time. So let's say you're awake from 8 AM to 12 PM that's 16 hours of possible study time less anytime to eat and poop (what? we all know you poop lol) I guess the ideal study time would be 15 hours leaving 20 minutes for eating and pooping. Jeez. See I like to make these plans, but I don't necessarily stick with them. For example: I said in a previous post that I was going to start a polyphasic (I think that's what it was called) sleeping pattern. Which assured me of 12 hours of studying per day... Hey, if I have trouble reaching the 12 hour study mark. I'll try for that again. But man... that 1 or 2 days of polyphasic sleeping took a toll on my looks. I'm going off on a tangent, so back to my point: I started a polyphasic sleeping pattern, and I didn't stick with it. Frankly, it's quite crazy. I have done it before. But it's not the easiest schedule to stick to.

As long as I'm awake & studying, that's a good sign for me.

Another thing I like to do is leave water out in cups. I like the convenience of drinking water to keep my hydrated. Another excellent thing I've done is I'm pretty dang organized with my space. I'm living in my parents basement, and I have a pretty sweet room. My room is basically set up like this:

Entrance > bedroom > some space for a tv and gaming console > giant closet with sink > bathroom

What I did was become slightly more disciplined. For example, whenver I need entertainment, I make it a mission to do so on my tv with gaming console. Whenever I want go to the bathroom, I go to my bathroom, whenever I want to study, I moved my study table from my bedroom to this random giant closet with a sink. My mom came and she was like WATTTT's going on!? I'm like SHHHHH i'm studying. Go away! Ur a b!tch. j/k I would never tell her to go away (okay that was an extra joke). I don't tell my mom she's a b!tch. At least not yet... LOL OKAY, I digress. Anyways. The point is... Now that I have a room, just for studying. Whenever I'm in it, that's all I do. I don't take naps in between studying which I used to do. I also have the freedom of studying 24/7 if I want to. There are no library hours where I can get kicked out. <3 mwah! I love this odd studying room. It's SO kick ass...

One of my many mottos is: The more organized you are, the more money you make. This is true for whenever you're cleaning your room, and you find that 20 dollar bill (you know the one your mom gave you! LOL I'm kidding, last 20 I found I earned. But still I like to make these types of jokes because I still live with my parents). But yeah, in this case, I'm applying my motto to my actual spaces which I use for various activities. It was much more mixed. I still play games in the bathroom on my throne, but even that I've realized not to play too much.

A recent key motto is the one I talked about in a previous post about being ELITE, and being AVERAGE, and being a LOSER. It's on my mind a lot! My motivations are also on my mind A LOT!

Here's the most recent motto I picked up from one of my favorite shows (I have a good portion of my favorite shows on my gaming console):

If there's something you want, WIN!

This motto doesn't always hold true, but in most cases I'd have to agree that it does. For example, I want to be happy in the future (then Win at studying!)... For example, I want to eat (then Win at work!)... For example, I want a girlfriend (then Win at pick up)... For example, I want to get in better shape (then Win! at dieting and exercise)... There is a concept called upward spirals. Here's a cool document about it and more.

Another motto that's been on my mind:

Success breeds success

Implication for myself: yes, the first day I tried to study, I got 1 hour done, I even had 30 minutes of studying the entire day the same week... Today I hit 9 hours of studying. Anything is possible, and just by staying positive (and surrounding myself with positive people (i.e. no one because everyone's a turd j/k but I only chatted with other candidates, my ex was soooo negative sometimes. Whenever I told her something I was proud of, for example a month ago I think I studied for 2 hours straight, and i'm like oh yeah... studied for 2 hours straight ;)... she's like that's not that much. You suck. You should study longer. I was immediately like... wtf! I'm so proud and happy about my accomplishments. and she turned it into poop. She is the type of person, who when you're excited about something you bought, e.g. a camera, and it's a $100 camera, and you bought it on sale for $30, when you say: I GOT A GREAT DEAL ON A CAMERA!!! I GOT IT ON SALE!!! GUESS HOW MUCH I BOUGHT IT FOR!?? She'd say 1 dollar lol. or like something low below the amount you bought it for. Like, what the heck!!! Anyone who's socially savvy KNOWS to at least say something higher than normal. Or someone who's smart, knows that no one wants to hear an amount lower than what you bought it for on sale, that is a shot in the foot. so glad she's gone..... kinda.

*Sigh* okay so, enough ranting...

Here's some food for thought (see bottom):

Conceited / Cocky / Full of yourself. What are the meanings of these words:

Conceited - to be have an excessively favourable opinion of one's own ability, importance, wit.

Cocky - to make claims or pretensions to superior importance or rights; overbearingly assuming; insolently proud.

Full of yourself - very self-satisfied and with an exaggerated sense of self-worth.

Okay, so what is the point of stating 3 synonyms? The point is: don't be satisfied with reaching your goal. It doesn't guarantee that you will pass in my opinion.

Think of something you do to the max. For example: Sometimes when I eat a good plate of food, I'll lick the plate. Or sometimes when I play a game, I'll tell myself "I gotta push myself to the max!" Sometimes when I study or spin on my head, I do everything I can to push myself to the max. 


HOWEVER, it's not always on my mind. I'm not all omniscient (that means I don't know everything). So thoughts escape me. That being said, I need to try to keep in mind, this is a war. I don't want to walk out of the war thinking: "Damn, I was so full of myself and my study methods, that I thought for sure I would pass, and then bam. I didn't pass"

So in conclusion, what I'm trying to say is: whenever you have the opportunity to kill it in life KILL IT! because we can't freeze time like you can save a state in a video game, you can only follow through with your best strategy of doing what works. So I need to learn how to recognize when I feel I've accomplished a lot, I should respond by telling myself: it's not enough, and look for ways to improve.

and as CFE gold medalists have said: it's a marathon, not a race.

kay, going to play a quick game, do a bit of studying, brush my teeth and head to sleep!

I did play a quick game, I did NOT do a bit of studying and I didn't brush my teeth, because I passed out...

Fortunately I got 8 hoursof sleep and my dark circles under my eyes are gone! Yaaaay! That's always nice to look good...

It's 9:53 AM

Which means study time left in the day is limited to 14 hours... someone's at my door... Hmmm wonder who that is...

Food basics (a grocery store) near my house is open! I think I'm going to allocate some time to shopping since I need to have convenient (and healthy) food. And I don't wanna be hungry while I study...

Hmmmm what to eat?

Here's an interesting article on breakfast for the brain.

May or may not go to grocery store today! Woo-hoo?!
 

Just ate 2 eggs with (bread + mustard+ walnuts) + 4 fruits (i.e. banana, peach, orange, cherries)

I always like to eat 5 things for a meal generally 5 fruits for breakfast, but I figure the egg will help since I read something about the brain enjoying choline and that eggs are a good source of choline. I ran out of my favorite sunflower seeds, so I really do need to go grocery shopping also we barely had any oranges, and I do like to eat 5 fruits. I have the money. Now I just need to set aside some time to go to the store!

ANYWAYs, going to clean my teeth, and then work the rest of the day. Life is good.
 




Started studying at 3 PM. Not timing my study sessions today, Just going for the gusto, as long as I can which hopefully should be around 12 AM. or even better 3 AM. Need to drink water... thinking about it makes me thirsty lol!

Only those who can endure defeat can grow stronger - that being said, I need to start testing myself, and yes... Failing.

5:00 PM - was starting to feel sick, my nose would not stop running! So I went upstairs and ate some ground beef <-- I heated it up and threw out any saturated fats <-- they tend to make me feel like ass. And then I had some chicken bbq skewer with vegetables. I saw some onion on the counter and I was like.... mm mmm.. mmm ;) looking good onion. SOoooo, I ate it raw along with the ground beef I was eating. Onion has anti-cancer properties, but more importantly, it has vitamin C!!! So does watermelon, so I ate some watermelon as well. I didn't rinse my mouth water coconut oil afterwards,,, maybe I'm not storing my coconut oil properly... I've eaten coconut before and that stuff can go bad... so maybe i need to place my coconut oil in a cooler place. Either way, I'm feeling a lot better now... I just closed my bathroom door, maybe that was making me sick LOL :S I really don't know... But nevertheless:

COLD SYMPTOMS + VITAMIN C from VEGES/FRUITS = BYE BYE COLD SYMPTOMS

Came downstairs with a calm and focused mind. Then I identified some cases that had a concept I wanted to master. And now I'm going to master it based on 2 major reasons:

1 - I'm elite. When I fall, I get right back up and keep working
2 - I'm a winner. When I feel like not starting/continuing, I start and I continue. Also I'm focused.

These reasons aren't specific to myself (although I created them), they can generally be applied to anyone. It's a conscious choice to be elite and/or a winner. Just don't get emotionally attached to the outcome of these mindsets. if you lose, so what. You can win a good mindset, but you can't win without one. That being said, it's only advantageous to support the above 2 reasons wholeheartedly.

I felt like taking a break...But guess what... lol my values still hold true. I suppose this is a break by just writing this down... Lemme re-write this for myself and the reader:

Not one athlete exists who hasn't fallen. The most elite athletes get back up and continue working. The average ones take longer to rise, and the losers are content lying flat on their backs.

In my case, knowledge is power. I can clearly see the options I have:

be elite. be average. or be a loser.

being elite <-- you're admired by anyone who knows you
being average <-- people care for you, but do so in a fluctuating manner
being a loser <-- people don't care for you, because you're a contagious problem

Yeah, IF i had a choice. And I do because I already know how the elite/average/loser will act. I'd rather not be a loser, because I don't think it's cool to lie flat on your back. Unless of course, you're sleeping.

Okay... This is too much LOL I'm just going to be elite and get back to work :P YEAH BAYBEH! <-- I usually say this to all the other online players when I capture the flag in a game of unreal tournament.